image source– X (Proteas men)
They say everything on Earth has an expiration date—whether it’s the vibrant bloom of a wildflower, the fleeting grace of a bird in flight, the foods we savour, the dreams we chase, or even the very essence of our own existence.
It’s a poignant reminder that nothing is forever, and possiblythat’s what makes it all so beautifully precious.
But then when the expiry is a bit unexpected it perhaps comes as a shock which at times becomes a rather tough pill to swallow.
Well, this is precisely what the Mzansi faithful in particular and the cricketing world at large witnessed a few days backwith the sudden resignation of South Africa’s limited overs coach, Rob Walter. This after only two years into his four-yearterm to see the Proteas through to the home World Cup in 2027.
With a record that was rather enviable when it came to Global ICC Tournaments, Coach Walter thrusted South Africa with the belief to win at all costs and this showed in high measure as the Proteas ascended to becoming semi-finalists in the 2023 ODI World Cup, 2025 Champions Trophy and maiden finalists in last year’s T20I World Cup.
With this being said, when it came to bilateral series this belief sort of went for a toss, as the results were anything but favourable for Rob with the Proteas only winning one T20I series out of the eight contested and three ODI series out of the seven along with making a new but unwarranted record of losing to Pakistan at home that too rather cleanly.
Perhaps what made this situation a tad bit interesting was that historically South Africa was known to be the mighty conquerors when it came to bilateral series and surrendered rather meekly when it came to ICC tournaments, albeit under Coach Walter the reverse was true.
So, did the pressure of the constant downward spiral in the bilateral contests get to Rob which eventually pushed him to call quits on his Proteas coaching career?
Perhaps this could be a reason and what added fuel to the fire was the criticism he faced on his transformation record, in particular with the Proteas only fielding one black African in Kagiso Rabada in the 2024 T20I World Cup, which truth be told wasn’t taken too kindly in the South African political circles.
Having said this, Rob Walter cited personal reasons for his departure with the constant travels from New Zealand where he resides to South Africa taking a toll on him and his young family.
Well, his departure is now water under the bridge as Coach Walter has possibly made a choice based on what he feels is right for his young family and moreover for him.
A decision that needs to be respected as the Protea think tank now need to find a suitable replacement.
So, who could take the limited overs reigns for South Africa going forward?
Shukri Conrad
South Africa’s red ball coach who perhaps is the front runner for the job with the way he has taken the Test team to new heights, a case in point example being the WTC final which the Proteas will be contesting against the mighty Aussies in June. Conrad is a shrewd tactician and his experience could be vital to instil the same belief in the Proteas limited overs setup as he has done in the 5-day format. One all-format coach could hold South Africa in good stead over a split role.
Robin Peterson
A resilient all-rounder for the Proteas in his playing days with his wily slow left arm bowling matched with a destructive batting intent down the order, Robin has taken the same qualities to his coaching excursion.
The man from Gqeberha was instrumental in MI Cape Town coming up tops in the recent SA20 edition as their head coach and perhaps this mantra of knowing how to conquer all odds could hold him in good stead if South Africa still considers splitting the managerial roles.
Jonathon Trott
A possible dark horse for the job, this South African born English batter has been doing wonders as the head coach of the Afghanistan men’s team with instilling a will to fight every adversity thrown at them.
And the results are there for everyone to see with the Afghans reaching a maiden World Cup semifinal in the recent T20 event along with beating South Africa in a recent bilateral series which perhaps is a feat worth every praise.
Having taken Afghanistan to unparalleled heights, Trott most definitely could be considered to resurrect the wavering fortunes of the country of his birth especially when it comes to bilateral events in the white ball game.
With a host of intriguing candidates lined up to replace Walter as head coach of the Proteas limited-overs setup, all eyes will be on who takes up the reins going forward. It’s undoubtedly a tough call for the South African think tank — one of the more pivotal decisions in recent memory.
But for now, Coach Walter deserves sincere and heartfelt appreciation for his invaluable service to South African cricket.
A true warrior who made the Proteas believe the ‘C’ word was no longer a part of their playing dictionary!
